The world-famous village of Arbanassi is situated on a plateau of the same name, some 4 km away from the town of Veliko Turnovo. Its impressive architecture and beautiful natural surroundings have long since made it a major attraction for tourists. The houses and churches in the village boast inimitable external and internal decorations, wood-carvings and mural-paintings, dating back the 16th - 18th centuries. Being one of the most original and picturesque dwellings in Bulgaria, Arbanassi is inevitably on the itineraries of a great number of tourists, scholars and artists.There are five churches and two monasteries built in and around the village about the turn of the 17th century. The oldest and most elaborately decorated church is " Rozhdestvo Hristovo " ( " Christmas " ), while " St. Archangels Michael and Gabriel " is the largest one. The smallest of them all is " St. Athanasius ", built in 1637. The other two temples, i.e. " St. George " and " St. Dimitar " date back to 1661 and 1612 respectively. The two functional to this day monasteries - " St. Nikola " and " Dormition of the Virgin " were built in the near vicinity of the village.Tourists find the two museum-houses - " Konstantzalieva " and " Hadjiilieve " most fascinating as well. They are both typical examples of the impressive architectural style, charcteristic of Arbanassi in the 18th and 19th centuries.